One Butterbeer, That's It
by thejrush
Summary: Just a silly little LilyJames thing. James has asked Lily out countless times. Now, for the first time ever, she says Yes. Oneshot, possibly a multiple chapter story. It depends on what kind of response I get. So read and review. TWO CHAPTERS.
1. The Question

Disclaimer: Harry Potter's not mine and all that wonderful disclaimer-y stuff.

A/N: Ahaha! I'm back and (hopefully) better than ever! I was feeling silly this morning and decided to write a gasp Lily/James fic. Possibly one-shot. Depends on whether I decide that there's gonna be a plot or not. Ahaha, a rhyme! Anywho, I know I sound hyper, like I said; I'm in a silly mood.

* * *

Lily Evans strolled down the corridor, humming softly. She smiled as she passed fellow sixth years of the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw houses. A nod of recognition was reserved for the few Slytherins that tolerated a Gryffindor.

She tucked a lock of her long red hair behind her ear as she opened her Transfiguration book to read while she walked. Out of the corner of her eye she saw someone standing in her way. She sidestepped but the person sidestepped as well. She closed her book and looked up, an apology coming to her lips as she looked up.

"Oh, it's only you, James," she said, the apology dying on her lips as she met James' rich brown eyes with her own sparkling emerald.

"Where are you going, Evans?" asked James, tilting his head to the side and looking generally adorable in Lily's personal opinion.

"I'm going to lunch," said Lily absently, thumbing through her textbook again.

"May I join you?" he asked, attaching himself to her side as she brushed past him. He looked over her shoulder at the book in her arms. Lily felt light-headed. James' cologne, she suspected, making a mental note to yell at him about it. Lily stopped and closed the book with a snap. James ran into her, knocking her forward a few steps. Lily steadied herself and resumed her annoyed stance, trying to erase the red from her cheeks.

"What do you want, Potter?" she snapped.

"Will you go with me on the next Hogsmeade trip?" he asked.

"I would rather re-pot juvenile mandrakes without earmuffs," she said with a sweet smile. James staggered back, clutching his chest in mock-pain.

"Oh you cut me too deep, Lily-Blossom," he said. Lily rolled her eyes and made a face at him as she walked away. James sighed and jogged after her.

Lily entered the Great Hall and made a bee line for the Gryffindor table. She slid into the spot next to her good friend, Juliet Edlbrook, or Josey as she was most often called.

"Hey Josey, did you finish your Transfiguration yet? I can't seem to find anything for that essay," complained Lily, resting her head on her hands. Josey shrugged.

"Not really. Who does their homework this early? It's not due until next Tuesday. I think James could help you," she said with a mischievous grin. Lily glared at her.

"I do not need help from James Potter," she said. As if summoned by the mere mention of his name, James appeared behind them. Lily jumped; she hadn't heard James coming closer.

"Just let me buy you a butterbeer or something," said James. Lily looked at him out of the corner of her eye. She was never good at resisting James' puppy dog eyes.

"No, Potter."

"Come on, Evans. I haven't even attacked any of the first years this week."

"Is that supposed to make me like you any more? Oh look, you managed to _not_ act like a pompous, arrogant bully for seven whole days, and I should go out with you!"

"Well--no. I mean…Evans, come on."

"Your ego is bigger than that giant head of yours, Potter."

"All right kids, calm down," said Josey, putting her arm between the two. It was only then that Lily realized how close they were. Her nose was mere inches away from James'; she could see the flecks of hazel in his brown eyes.

"I'm practically begging you, Evans," he said after calming down. Lily pinched the bridge of her nose and rested her elbow on the table.

"What's the catch?"

"What? No catch, I swear," said James, his face lighting up.

Lily looked at him suspiciously. James smiled and Lily felt herself giving in. She relaxed her shoulders and looked him in the eye. Damn those eyes of his.

"One butterbeer, that's it."

"Really? I mean, great, I'll see you Saturday in the Three Broomsticks."

Lily felt herself smiling as he jogged away. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all. Wait, what was she thinking. It was James. James Potter. Lily straightened and looked around to see if anyone had witnessed her caving to James. She wiped the smile from her face and opened her book again as she headed bent over her lunch plate.

"What was that all about?" chirped someone from behind her. Lily started and turned to see Cassie standing where James had been moments before.

"Does everyone in this bloody school want to sneak up on me today?" she snapped. Josey and Cassie just grinned.

"Well?"

"Don't you have Charms homework to do, Cass?"

"Yes, but what did James want," asked Cassie, a whine coming into the edge of her voice. Lily tapped her fingers on her book and bit her lip.

"She's finally going on a date with him," said Josey excitedly.

Cassie squealed with excitement, but Lily just rolled her eyes. It was only one butterbeer. It was only James Potter. James-unbelievably gorgeous-Potter with the sweetest smile and the way he always grinned at Lily and--

Lily shook herself and grabbed her book from the table. She grabbed a piece of toast and stood up.

"I have to finish this essay tonight or I'll never get it done," she said, sticking the toast in her mouth and walking away with her nose in the book again.

- - -

James got up and met her at the door. A short conversation took place and James took the book from her, flipping through the pages as they exited the hall. Nearly every head at the Gryffindor table was watching unbeknownst to them.

Cassie sighed theatrically and sank onto the bench next to Josey, who laughed lightly at the action.

"Ah, young love," said Cassie, clasping her hands together and sighing wistfully.

* * *

A/N: Hmmm, this looks like it might be just a little bit more than a one-shot. Eh, we'll see. Tell me what you think. Reviews are welcome. 


	2. The Three Broomsticks

Disclaimer: If I've said it once, I've said it a _thousand_ times. I do not own Harry Potter. So stop asking!

A/N: Back by popular demand! Wow guys, I was surprised at how much you wanted me to continue this fic. Thank you for all of your wonderful reviews. They make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Lily bit her lip as she waited in the Entrance Hall. She caught several of her fellow Gryffindors looking at her oddly as they passed by and stood in line for their names to be checked off of the list. Cassie and Josey tried to sneak past, but Lily grabbed both of them by the arm.

"What have you been telling people?" she asked in a whisper. They both shrugged.

"We didn't tell anyone anything," said Josey, "people start rumours, let it go."

Lily narrowed her eyes at them, then sighed and followed them as they exited the school. Cassie sent her an odd look.

"What?" asked Lily.

"What about James?"

"I'm meeting him _there_ if you were paying attention at all, you gossip hound," said Lily acidly. Cassie stuck out her tongue.

They walked in silence for a long time down the long road to Hogsmeade. Lily felt jumpy. She snapped at Cassie a few more times and was starting to feel a little better.

"Did you finish your Transfiguration?" asked Josey innocently. Lily glared at her and looked straight ahead, refusing to succumb to her friends' teasing.

"Oh look, there's the Three Broomsticks," she said, "I'll see you later."

Lily escaped from her meddlesome friends with a sigh of relief. She'd get enough of them later on after they returned.

"Hey Evans, have you gone to see our beloved leader yet?" called Sirius Black as she brushed past him on the street.

"Oh, go drink some buttober pus, Black," she replied. Sirius winked cheekily and headed off on his merry way.

"Not very friendly this morning. Perhaps I can remedy that."

Lily turned to shout a sharp retort at the speaker, but her angry words faded when she identified said speaker.

"Oh James, it's only you. I thought you were someone else," she said, shaking her head and laughing at herself.

"We have to stop having this conversation," said James. He grinned and opened the door to the Three Broomsticks for her. Lily hurried inside, trying to avoid his gaze and hide her blush at the same time.

James waved at Madame Rosmerta to get her attention. The flustered owner of the Three Broomsticks appeared next to their table and took their order. Two butterbeers. One each. That was all. Lily repeated the words in her head. James paid for the drinks and took a drink of his.

Lily rolled the glass between her palms. She leaned forward to take a tentative sip. Wow, this was _awkward_.

_Say something_, she ordered herself. She opened her mouth, but James beat her to it.

"So…is that offer for Charms help still good?" he asked. Lily tried to register his question, but things in her head were moving slowly due to close proximity with James' cologne. Oh yes, she'd wanted to yell at him about that.

"Yes the Charms offer is still good," she said. What happened to insulting his cologne? She looked down into her glass and wondered if this was such a good idea after all. James sipped his butterbeer and Lily could tell he was thinking the same thing.

"Maybe we're just not…" started Lily trailing off because she didn't really know what she wanted to say. She could see the flecks of hazel in his eyes again, she tried to find something in their depths, expecting only the mischievous glee he displayed on a daily basis to be reflected in the dark orbs. She faltered. She couldn't find a single hint of the arrogant bully she knew from day to day. James Potter was suddenly an enigma. His eyes were so--Lily hunted for a word from her vast store of knowledge about everything but Transfiguration--gentle.

"Maybe we're not what?" asked James. His oh-so-perfect, enigma eyes flashed briefly with something indefinable. Insecurity? James Potter, insecure? Lily couldn't help herself. She snorted out loud in disbelief. James looked slightly offended.

Lily focused on his eyes again and smiled.

"Maybe we're not being fair to each other," she said after a moment, her eyes finding anything but his face, "You have just become an enigma."

It was James' turn to chuckle and shake his head. He slid his glass across the counter and back again, watching it absently. She watched it slide and listened intently to the soft grating noise it made.

"That is something you have always been to me, Lily Evans," he said softly, "and that's what I've always liked about you. You keep me guessing all the time."

"I never thought that something you said could render me speechless," said Lily, her voice tinged with amusement. James smiled broadly.

"Neither did I."

Their eyes met and they both laughed. Lily shook her head, smiling.

"You've grown up, James Potter," she said, "I don't even remember a time before this when we didn't fight."

Lily swallowed the last of her butterbeer and fumbled with the glass awkwardly, her shyness returning with the absence of her reason for staying. James noticed, and his enigma eyes darkened and a wall descended. Lily stood and brushed her sweaty hands on her jeans. She smiled down at James, who gave her a smile over his butterbeer.

"Thank you, James," she said, "I…had fun. We'll have to do this again sometime."

She walked away slowly. Too bad he was James Potter. If he wasn't…

_Then what?_ Asked a mean little voice in her head, _would you like him then?_

Lily paused at the door and looked back. She started to walk back, but caught herself, resulting in a strange jerking motion. This was James Potter. And as much fun as she'd been having, he was still an arrogant bully. Yes. An arrogant bully with more depth than she could have imagined. She caught herself again and shook her head.

_Come on Lily, focus. He'll be up to his old tricks in no time, _she told herself. She pushed the door open and stepped out into the chilly fall afternoon.

She was halfway between the town limits of Hogsmeade and the start of the Hogwarts grounds when someone grabbed her arm. She whirled, relaxing only when she realized that it was James.

"Go ahead, say it. 'Oh, it's only you James' and so on and so forth," he said. Lily open and closed her mouth a few times in shock.

"I wasn't going to say that," she retorted, wrenching her arm from his grip to fold her arms crossly. James' eyes flashed with mirth. He leaned forward. His face was inches from hers. Lily barely breathed.

"I think you were," he replied, the corners of his mouth curving up in a confidential smile.

His eyes danced. He was daring her to argue. Well she was going to take that dare.

"I wasn't going to say that, Potter. I was just going to comment on how you come to enjoy sneaking up on me lately," she said sweetly. James laughed and leaned forward until their noses touched.

"I think you just hope it's me every time," he replied triumphantly.

"J-James!" yelped Lily, stumbling back a step. She reached out and grabbed his arm to steady herself. She willed her pounding heart to slow to a steady thunder. Anything but the pace at which it was racing at the moment. It was only James Potter. Only James Potter. James Potter the arrogant, bully with enigma eyes and the sweetest smile this side of Godric's Hollow. Lily glared at him, blaming her thought train on his cologne.

"I hate you," she muttered darkly.

"I don't think you do."

Lily inhaled deeply, trying to balance her annoyance with her nervousness. And James was still inches away from her face, his eyes whirling with so many emotions that it made Lily dizzy.

James closed the remaining gap by gently kissing her. Lily's eyes widened in shock, and her hands on his upper arms tightened their grip convulsively. James pulled away and smiled weakly at her stunned expression.

"That's twice in one day, Evans. You're losing your touch," he teased. Lily finally regained some of her sanity, enough to stop gawking at him like an idiot. She closed her eyes and rested her head in the hollow of James' neck. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and waited for her breathing to slow down to a steady pace. James wrapped her in the circle of his arms.

"Next time, give me a warning," mumbled Lily against the skin of his neck. James gently pulled away to look her in the eye. Her green eyes were sharp, and her cheeks were flushed.

"Next time?" he questioned.

She smiled up at him, her eyes sparkling in the same enigmatic way that his had earlier. She stood on tip-toe and kissed him lightly before finally speaking up.

"Next time."

James caught her hand in his own and twined their fingers together. Lily smiled and rested her head on his shoulder.

- - -

Cassie and Josey peered around a tree and watched the pair walk the rest of the way hand in hand. They turned to each other, grinning from ear to ear.

"It worked," said Cassie excitedly, clapping her hands together. Josey laughed.

"And you thought that convincing James to ask her one last time was impossible."

Sirius, who had just spoken, stood up from his hiding place behind a bush and walked over to Josey. He leaned against the tree trunk, watching the disappearing forms of Lily and James. Remus stumbled out after him, shaking leaves from his hair.

"I hate playing matchmaker with those two," he muttered darkly, picking thorns from his cloak, "I always end up stuck in a thorn bush."

A/N: You want my personal opinion? That got kind of weird at the end. But I just wanted to close it up, so there it is. I hope you all liked it.


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